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Data Transmission Service:Synchronize data from an ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL instance to a self-managed Oracle database

Last Updated:Jun 04, 2025

Data Transmission Service (DTS) supports data synchronization from MySQL instances to Oracle databases.

Supported source and destination databases

The following table describes the types of source and destination databases that are supported for data synchronization from MySQL databases to Oracle databases. This topic describes the configurations of this type of data synchronization. In this example, data is synchronized from an ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL instance to a self-managed Oracle database hosted on Elastic Compute Service (ECS). The procedures for configuring data synchronization from and to other types of databases are similar.

Source database

Destination database

  • ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL instance
  • Self-managed database that is hosted on Elastic Compute Service (ECS)
  • Self-managed database that is connected over Express Connect, VPN Gateway, or Smart Access Gateway
  • Self-managed database that is connected over Database Gateway
  • Self-managed database that is connected over Cloud Enterprise Network (CEN)
  • Self-managed database that is connected over Express Connect, VPN Gateway, or Smart Access Gateway.

  • Self-managed database that is hosted on ECS.

  • Self-managed database that is connected over Database Gateway.

  • Self-managed database that is connected over Cloud Enterprise Network (CEN).

Prerequisites

  • The self-managed Oracle database is running in ARCHIVELOG mode. Archived log files are accessible, and an appropriate retention period is set for archived log files. For more information, see Managing Archived Redo Log Files.

  • The supplemental logging feature is enabled for the self-managed Oracle database, and the SUPPLEMENTAL_LOG_DATA_PK and SUPPLEMENTAL_LOG_DATA_UI parameters are set to Yes. For more information, see Supplemental Logging.

  • A self-managed Oracle database is connected to an Alibaba Cloud virtual private cloud (VPC) if the database is in the Real Application Clusters (RAC) architecture. Routing rules are configured and each Single Client Access Name (SCAN) IP of the Oracle RAC database and the virtual IP address (VIP) of each node are connected to the VPC. This ensures that DTS tasks can run as expected. For more information, see Connect an on-premises database to Alibaba Cloud and Connect a data center to DTS by using VPN Gateway.

Usage notes

Note

During full data synchronization and incremental data synchronization:

  • If cascaded update or delete operations exist in the source database, data inconsistency may occur.

  • If foreign keys or triggers exist in the destination database, disable them. Otherwise, the data synchronization task may fail.

Category

Description

Limits on the source database

  • The tables to be synchronized must have PRIMARY KEY or UNIQUE constraints, and all fields must be unique. Otherwise, the destination database may contain duplicate data records.

  • If you select tables as the objects to be synchronized and you want to edit the tables, such as renaming tables or columns, you can synchronize up to 1,000 tables in a single data synchronization task. If you run a task to synchronize more than 1,000 tables, a request error occurs. In this case, we recommend that you configure multiple tasks to synchronize the tables in batches or configure a task to synchronize the entire database.

  • The following requirements for binary logs must be met:

    • By default, the binary logging feature is enabled for an ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL instance. Make sure that the binlog_row_image parameter is set to full. Otherwise, error messages are returned during the precheck and the data synchronization task cannot be started. For more information, see Modify instance parameters.

      Important
      • If the source database is a self-managed MySQL database, you must enable the binary logging feature and set the binlog_format parameter to row and the binlog_row_image parameter to full.

      • If the source database is a self-managed MySQL database deployed in a dual-primary cluster, you must set the log_slave_updates parameter to ON. This ensures that DTS can obtain all binary logs. For more information, see Create an account for a self-managed MySQL database and configure binary logging.

    • The binary logs of an ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL instance must be retained at least three days. We recommend that you set the retention period of the binary logs to seven days. The binary logs of the self-managed MySQL database must be stored for at least seven days. Otherwise, the data synchronization task may fail because DTS cannot obtain the binary logs. In exceptional circumstances, data inconsistency or loss may occur. Make sure that you configure the retention period of binary logs based on the preceding requirements. Otherwise, the service reliability or performance in the Service Level Agreement (SLA) of DTS may not be guaranteed.

      Note

      For more information about how to set the Retention Period of the binary logs for ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL instance, see the Delete binary log files section in the topic "Manage binary log files".

  • During schema synchronization and full data synchronization, do not execute DDL statements to change the schemas of databases or tables. Otherwise, the data synchronization task fails.

  • The data generated by change operation of binary logs, such as data restored from a physical backup or data from a cascade operation, is not recorded or synchronized to the destination database when the data synchronization instance is running.

    Note

    If the change data is not recorded and synchronized to the destination database, you can modify the object to be synchronized and remove the databases and tables to which the data belongs on the premise that your business is not affected, and then add the databases and tables to which the data belongs to the object to be synchronized. For more information, see Modify the objects to be synchronized.

  • If the source database is MySQL database 8.0.23 or later, and the data to be synchronized includes invisible columns, the data of the columns cannot be obtained and data loss occurs.

    Note
    • To make the columns visible, run the ALTER TABLE <table_name> ALTER COLUMN <column_name> SET VISIBLE; command. For more information, see Invisible Columns.

    • Tables that do not have primary keys automatically generate invisible primary keys. You need to make the invisible primary keys visible. For more information, see Generated Invisible Primary Keys.

Other limits

  • The attributes of at most one column can be changed.

  • The basic data types cannot be changed.

  • If the destination self-managed Oracle database is an Oracle Real Application Cluster (RAC) database, you can only use a single virtual IP address (VIP) rather than a Single Client Access Name (SCAN) IP address when you configure the data synchronization task. After you specify the VIP, node failover is not supported for the Oracle RAC database.

  • If the source database is an ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL instance for which the EncDB feature is enabled, full data synchronization cannot be performed.

    Note

    ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL instances that have the Transparent Data Encryption (TDE) feature enabled support schema synchronization, full data synchronization, and incremental data synchronization.

  • If a DTS task fails to run, DTS technical support will try to restore the task within 8 hours. During the restoration, the task may be restarted, and the parameters of the task may be modified.

    Note

    Only the parameters of the task may be modified. The parameters of databases are not modified. The parameters that may be modified include but are not limited to the parameters in the "Modify instance parameters" section of the Modify the parameters of a DTS instance topic.

Special cases

  • If the source database is a self-managed MySQL database, take note of the following items:

    • If you perform a primary/secondary switchover on the source database when the data synchronization task is running, the task fails.

    • DTS calculates synchronization latency based on the timestamp of the latest synchronized data in the destination database and the current timestamp in the source database. If no DML operation is performed on the source database for a long time, the synchronization latency may be inaccurate. If the latency of the data synchronization task is too high, you can perform a DML operation on the source database to update the latency.

      Note

      If you select an entire database as the object to synchronize, you can create a heartbeat table. The heartbeat table is updated or receives data every second.

    • DTS executes the CREATE DATABASE IF NOT EXISTS 'test' statement in the source database as scheduled to move forward the binary log file position.

  • If the source database is an ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL instance, take note of the following item:

    • An ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL instance that does not record transaction logs, such as a read-only ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL 5.6 instance, cannot be used as the source database.

    • DTS executes the CREATE DATABASE IF NOT EXISTS 'test' statement in the source database as scheduled to move forward the binary log file position.

Billing

Synchronization typeTask configuration fee
Schema synchronization and full data synchronizationFree of charge.
Incremental data synchronizationCharged. For more information, see Billing overview.

Supported synchronization topologies

  • One-way one-to-one synchronization

  • One-way one-to-many synchronization

  • One-way many-to-one synchronization

SQL operations that can be synchronized

Operation type

Operation

DML

INSERT, UPDATE, and DELETE

DDL

  • CREATE TABLE, ALTER TABLE, DROP TABLE, RENAME TABLE, and TRUNCATE TABLE

  • ADD COLUMN, DROP COLUMN, MODIFY COLUMN, and RENAME COLUMN

  • CREATE INDEX, UNIQUE INDEX, and DROP INDEX

Procedure

  1. Use one of the following methods to go to the Data Synchronization page and select the region in which the data synchronization instance resides.

    DTS console

    1. Log on to the DTS console.

    2. In the left-side navigation pane, click Data Synchronization.

    3. In the upper-left corner of the page, select the region in which the data synchronization instance resides.

    DMS console

    Note

    The actual operations may vary based on the mode and layout of the DMS console. For more information, see Simple mode and Customize the layout and style of the DMS console.

    1. Log on to the DMS console.

    2. In the top navigation bar, move the pointer over Data + AI and choose DTS (DTS) > Data Synchronization.

    3. From the drop-down list to the right of Data Synchronization Tasks, select the region in which the data synchronization instance resides.

  2. Click Create Task to go to the task configuration page.

  3. Configure the source and destination databases. The following table describes the parameters.

    Section

    Parameter

    Description

    N/A

    Task Name

    The name of the DTS task. DTS automatically generates a task name. We recommend that you specify a descriptive name that makes it easy to identify the task. You do not need to specify a unique task name.

    Source Database

    Database Type

    Select MySQL.

    Access Method

    Select Alibaba Cloud Instance.

    Instance Region

    Select the region where the source ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL instance resides.

    Replicate Data Across Alibaba Cloud Accounts

    In this example, data is synchronized within the same Alibaba Cloud account. Select No.

    RDS Instance ID

    Select the ID of the source ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL instance.

    Database Account

    Enter the database account of the source ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL instance.

    Database Password

    The password that is used to access the database.

    Encryption

    Specifies whether to encrypt the connection to the database. You can select Non-encrypted or SSL-encrypted based on your business requirements. If you want to set this parameter to SSL-encrypted, you must enable SSL encryption for the ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL instance before you configure the DTS task. For more information, see Use a cloud certificate to enable SSL encryption.

    Destination Database

    Database Type

    Select Oracle.

    Access Method

    Select Self-managed Database On ECS.

    Instance Region

    Select the region where the destination Oracle database resides.

    ECS Instance ID

    Select the ID of the ECS instance that hosts the self-managed Oracle database.

    Port Number

    Enter the service port number of the self-managed Oracle database. Default value: 1521.

    Oracle Type

    • Non-RAC Instance: If you select this option, you must specify the SID parameter.

    • RAC Or PDB Instance: If you select this option, you must specify the Service Name parameter.

    Database Account

    Enter the account of the self-managed Oracle database.

    Database Password

    The password that is used to access the database.

  4. In the lower part of the page, click Test Connectivity and Proceed. In the CIDR Blocks of DTS Servers dialog box, click Test Connectivity.

    Note

    Make sure that the CIDR blocks of DTS servers can be automatically or manually added to the security settings of the source and destination databases to allow access from DTS servers. For more information, see Add the CIDR blocks of DTS servers.

  5. Configure the objects to be synchronized.

    1. In the Configure Objects step, configure the objects that you want to synchronize.

      Parameter

      Description

      Synchronization Types

      The synchronization types. By default, Incremental Data Synchronization is selected. You must also select Schema Synchronization and Full Data Synchronization. After the precheck is complete, DTS synchronizes the historical data of the selected objects from the source database to the destination cluster. The historical data is the basis for subsequent incremental synchronization.

      Processing Mode of Conflicting Tables

      • Precheck and Report Errors: checks whether the destination database contains tables that have the same names as tables in the source database. If the source and destination databases do not contain tables that have identical table names, the precheck is passed. Otherwise, an error is returned during the precheck, and the data synchronization task cannot be started.

        Note

        If the source and destination databases contain tables with identical names and the tables in the destination database cannot be deleted or renamed, you can use the object name mapping feature to rename the tables that are synchronized to the destination database. For more information, see Map object names.

      • Ignore Errors and Proceed: skips the precheck for identical table names in the source and destination databases.

        Warning

        If you select Ignore Errors and Proceed, data inconsistency may occur and your business may be exposed to potential risks.

        • If the source and destination databases have the same schema and a data record in the destination database has the same primary key value or unique key value as a data record in the source database:

          • During full data synchronization, DTS does not synchronize the data record to the destination database. The existing data record in the destination database is retained.

          • During incremental data synchronization, DTS synchronizes the data record to the destination database. The existing data record in the destination database is overwritten.

        • If the source and destination databases have different schemas, data may fail to be initialized. In this case, only some columns are synchronized, or the data synchronization task fails. Proceed with caution.

      Capitalization of Object Names in Destination Instance

      The capitalization of database names, table names, and column names in the destination instance. By default, DTS default policy is selected. You can select other options to ensure that the capitalization of object names is consistent with that in the source or destination database. For more information, see Specify the capitalization of object names in the destination instance.

      Source Objects

      Select one or more objects from the Source Objects section and click the 向右 icon to add the objects to the Selected Objects section.

      Note

      You can select columns, tables, or databases as objects to synchronize. If you select tables or columns as the objects to be synchronized, DTS does not synchronize other objects such as views, triggers, and stored procedures to the destination database.

      Selected Objects

      • To rename an object that you want to synchronize to the destination instance, right-click the object in the Selected Objects section. For more information, see the "Map the name of a single object" section of the Map object names topic.

      • To rename multiple objects at a time, click Batch Edit in the upper-right corner of the Selected Objects section. For more information, see the "Map multiple object names at a time" section of the Map object names topic.

      Note
      • To configure a WHERE condition to filter data, right-click the table that you want to synchronize in the Selected Objects section and configure a filter condition in the dialog box that appears. For more information, see Configure SQL conditions to filter data.

      • If you use the object name mapping feature to rename an object, other objects that are dependent on the object may fail to be synchronized.

    2. Click Next: Advanced Settings to configure advanced settings.

      Parameter

      Description

      Dedicated Cluster for Task Scheduling

      By default, DTS schedules the task to the shared cluster if you do not specify a dedicated cluster. If you want to improve the stability of data synchronization tasks, purchase a dedicated cluster. For more information, see What is a DTS dedicated cluster.

      Retry Time for Failed Connections

      The retry time range for failed connections. If the source or destination database fails to be connected after the data synchronization task is started, DTS immediately retries a connection within the time range. Valid values: 10 to 1440. Unit: minutes. Default value: 720. We recommend that you set this parameter to a value greater than 30. If DTS reconnects to the source and destination databases within the specified time range, DTS resumes the data synchronization task. Otherwise, the data synchronization task fails.

      Note
      • If you specify different retry time ranges for multiple data synchronization tasks that have the same source or destination database, the shortest retry time range takes precedence.

      • When DTS retries a connection, you are charged for the DTS instance. We recommend that you specify the retry time range based on your business requirements. You can also release the DTS instance at your earliest opportunity after the source and destination instances are released.

      Retry Time for Other Issues

      The retry time range for other issues. For example, if the DDL or DML operations fail to be performed after the data synchronization task is started, DTS immediately retries the operations within the time range. Valid values: 1 to 1440. Unit: minutes. Default value: 10. We recommend that you set this parameter to a value greater than 10. If the failed operations are successfully performed within the specified time range, DTS resumes the data synchronization task. Otherwise, the data synchronization task fails.

      Important

      The value of the Retry Time for Other Issues parameter must be smaller than the value of the Retry Time for Failed Connections parameter.

      Enable Throttling for Full Data Synchronization

      During full data synchronization, DTS uses the read and write resources of the source and destination databases. This may increase the load on the database servers. You can configure the Queries per second (QPS) to the source database, RPS of Full Data Migration, and Data migration speed for full migration (MB/s) parameters for full data synchronization tasks to reduce the load on the destination database server.

      Note

      You can configure this parameter only if Full Data Synchronization is selected for the Synchronization Types parameter.

      Enable Throttling for Incremental Data Synchronization

      Specifies whether to enable throttling for incremental data synchronization. You can enable throttling for incremental data synchronization based on your business requirements. To configure throttling, you must configure the RPS of Incremental Data Synchronization and Data synchronization speed for incremental synchronization (MB/s) parameters. This reduces the load on the destination database server.

      Environment Tag

      You can select an environment tag to identify the synchronization instance based on your business requirements. In this example, no environment tag is selected.

      Configure ETL

      Specifies whether to enable the extract, transform, and load (ETL) feature. For more information, see What is ETL? Valid values:

      Monitoring and Alerting

      Specifies whether to configure alerting for the data synchronization task. If the task fails or the synchronization latency exceeds the specified threshold, alert contacts will receive notifications. Valid values:

    3. Click Next Step: Data Verification to configure data verification.

      For more information about how to use the data verification feature, see Configure a data verification task.

  6. Save the task settings and run a precheck.

    • To view the parameters to be specified when you call the relevant API operation to configure the DTS task, move the pointer over Next: Save Task Settings and Precheck and click Preview OpenAPI parameters.

    • If you do not need to view or have viewed the parameters, click Next: Save Task Settings and Precheck in the lower part of the page.

    Note
    • Before you can start the data synchronization task, DTS performs a precheck. You can start the data synchronization task only after the task passes the precheck.

    • If the data synchronization task fails the precheck, click View Details next to each failed item. After you analyze the causes based on the check results, troubleshoot the issues. Then, rerun the precheck.

    • If an alert is triggered for an item during the precheck:

      • If an alert item cannot be ignored, click View Details next to the failed item and troubleshoot the issue. Then, run a precheck again.

      • If an alert item can be ignored, click Confirm Alert Details. In the View Details dialog box, click Ignore. In the message that appears, click OK. Then, click Precheck Again to run a precheck again. If you ignore the alert item, data inconsistency may occur, and your business may be exposed to potential risks.

  7. Purchase an instance.

    1. Wait until the Success Rate becomes 100%. Then, click Next: Purchase Instance.

    2. On the buy page, configure the Billing Method and Instance Class parameters for the data synchronization instance. The following table describes the parameters.

      Section

      Parameter

      Description

      New Instance Class

      Billing Method

      • Subscription: You pay for a subscription when you create a data synchronization instance. The subscription billing method is more cost-effective than the pay-as-you-go billing method for long-term use.

      • Pay-as-you-go: A pay-as-you-go instance is billed on an hourly basis. The pay-as-you-go billing method is suitable for short-term use. If you no longer require a pay-as-you-go data synchronization instance, you can release the instance to reduce costs.

      Resource Group Settings

      The resource group to which the data synchronization instance belongs. Default value: default resource group. For more information, see What is Resource Management?

      Instance Class

      DTS provides instance classes that vary in synchronization speed. You can select an instance class based on your business requirements. For more information, see Instance classes of data synchronization instances.

      Subscription Duration

      If you select the subscription billing method, specify the subscription duration and the number of data synchronization instances that you want to create. The subscription duration can be one to nine months, one year, two years, three years, or five years.

      Note

      This parameter is available only if you select the Subscription billing method.

    3. Read and select Data Transmission Service (Pay-as-you-go) Service Terms.

    4. Click Buy and Start. In the dialog box that appears, click OK.

      You can view the progress of the task in the task list.